Arch-support.



W. M. SCHOLL.

ARCH SUPPORT. APPLICATION FILED JuNEza. |916.

Patented Mar. 5, 1h18.

ed. :M22/6@ WILLIAM M.. SCHOLL, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ARCH-SUPPORT.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 5, 1918.

Application led June 23, 1916. Serial No. 105,342.

To all/whom t may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. SCROLL, acitizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Arch-Supports, of which the followin is a specification.

My invention re ates to improvements 1n instep arch supports, and hasfor its general object to provide an arch support useful in overcomingincorrect foot cond1tions, and improper walking habits, that result 1n atendency to rotate the foot outwardly.

I have found that in many instances where foot treatment and the use ofarch supporting appliances are necessary for the comfort of the wearer,the primary cause of the trouble resides in the incorrect application ofthe weight with respect to the bony and ligamentitious structure of thefoot, and the effect is noticeable especially in a tendency upon thepart of the patient to rotate the foot outwardly in walking. The archsupport of my present invention effects its supporting functionsfundamentally with respect to the outer edge of the foot, Jforcorrection of such ailments; and in the drawings wherein I haveillustrated an embodiment of my invention Figure l is an inverted planview of an arch support; showing in general fashion its intendedrelation to the foot structure illustrated in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the metal plate detached.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation from the anterior end of the plate detached;and

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are sections respectively on line 4%, 5 5 and 6-6 Vofthe plate.

In accordance with my invention I provide as a main element of the archsupporting structure a relatively stiff metal plate lO that has itsouter edge 11 swungl out as at 11 beyond the relatively narrow heel l()nso as to extend laterally beyond the cuboid bone and the posteriorportion of the fifth metatarsal, the outer portion of the plate archedlongitudinally as at l2, to an extent usually somewhat greater than thecurvature of the foot with which the support is to be used at theproximate plantar surfaces. The extreme outer edge 11 is preferablyup-turned somewhat as indicated at l1', Fig. 3, from the heelwardportion of the arch l2 to the anterior end, 13, that preferably liessomewhat in rear of the metatarsophalangeal articulations. Such upturnededge, merging smoothly into the arched outer portion 12, gives to thefoot an anchorage against outward displacement and at the same timestrengthens somewhat the wei htcarrying outer border portion of the pate. At a position corresponding with the posterior end of the fifthmetatarsal the plate is preferably recessed, as shown at l5, so that noexcessive pressure is thrown on that process.

To carry the corrective action well forward and afford especial supportto the fourth and fifth metatarsals in rear of their heads, I preferablyprovide in the late a diagonal slope 16, the outer edge o which is highbut sloping olf toward the central anterior portion of the plate, whilethe inner anterior portion preferably is cut away, as

at 17, to ail-'ord a relief space to receive the head of the firstmetatarsal. This formation mechanically tilts the foot inward somewhatadjacent the ball of the foot, tending to throw the weight toward thefirst metatarsal head, which has ample clearance, and yet is preventedfrom shifting over inwardly by the conformation of the innerwaistportion of the plate.

Alon its inner edge 2-, the plate is prefera ly shaped to leave freefrom direct support the inner portion of the scaphoid and firstcuneiform bones (although extension beyondthe indicated lines isdesirable in some instances) so that the inner border of the plate isin-curved somewhat. In longitudinal section the plate is arched alongits inner edge in measurable conformity to or slightly less than thecurvature of the foot with which the 'support is to be used, so that, asindicated in Fig. 3, at the top of its longi- `tudinal arch, the plateslopes from both edges 2O and toward the center of the plate; itselevation at the outer edge being 1n eX- cess of the curvature of thefoot with which the support is to be used and its elevation at the inneredge being not greater than the curvature of the foot with which thesupport is to be used. The foot is thus given a disi tinct tendency torotate inward, which tendency is not excessive because it is balancedlthe foot, it will be appreciated that a curvature of the outer edge otthe plate in excess of'this normal or natural curvature will raise theouter side of the arch and tend to rotate the foot in the oppositedirection.

A usual cover piece 25 secured to the plate by rivets 26 may be providedto aid in hold ing the plate in predetermined relation to the shoe andto give comfort to the wearer, if desired.

While I have herein described in some detail a specific structureembodying my invention for purposes of full disclosure, it will beunderstood that many changes in details may be made without departurefrom the spirit of my invention within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. An arch support,having its outer edge arched longitudinally in excess of the curvatureof the foot with which the support is to be used and its inner edgearched in approximate conformity to the curvature of thedfoot with whichthe support is to be use y 2. An arch support, having its outer edgearched longitudinally in `excess of the curvature of the foot with whichthe support is to be used and its inner edge arched in approximateconformity to the curvature of the toot with which the support is to beused, the plate being transversely concaved at lits waist portion.

3. An arch support plate constructed to extend from a bearing portionbeneath the wearers heel to approximately the metatarsal heads,laterally extended at its outer edge beyond the areas of the cuboid andfth metatarsal bones, and upturned along said edge, said edge portion ofthe plate being arched longitudinally in excess of the curvature of thefootwith which the support is to be used to tend to rotate thefootinwardly.

4. An arch support plate constructed to extend from a bearing portionbeneath the wearers heel to approximately the metatarsal heads,laterally extended at its outer edge edge beyond the areas ot the cuboidand fifth y metatarsal bones, `and upturned along said edge, said edgeportion or the plate being arched longitudinally in excess of thecurvature or the foot with which the support is to be used to tend torotate the toot inwardly and said. plate incurved along its inner edgeand arched in not to exceed conformity with the curvature of the footwith which the support is to be used.

6. An arch support plate constructed to extend trom a bearing portionbeneath the wearers heel to approximately the metatarsal heads,laterally extended at its outer edge beyond the areas of the cuboid andfth metatarsal bones, and upturned along said edge, said edges portionof the plate being arched longitudinally in excess of the curvature ofthe foot with which ythe support is to be used to tend to rotate thefoot inwardly and said plate arched along its inner edge and cut away atits anterior end to receive the head of the rst metatarsal.

7 An arch plate having its outer edge arched in excess of the curvatureof the foot with which the support is to be used and its anteriorportion sloped laterally from v its outer toward its inner edge. t

8. An arch support providing means to receive the heel, means to affordsupport to the highest arched portion of the foot inwardly from thelongitudinal axis of the foot, and means arched in excess of' thecurvature of the foot with which the support is to be used to supportthe outer edge of the foot.

9. An arch support providing means to receive the heel, means to affordsupport to the highest arched portion of the foot inwardly from thelongitudinal axis of the foot, and means arched in excess of thecurvature of the foot with which the sup-l port is to be used to supportthe outer edge of the foot and means to coact with the outer edge of thefoot to prevent outward displacement of the foot.

10. An arch support providing means to receive the heel, means to affordsupport to the highest arched portion of the foot in wardly from thelongitudinal axisv of the foot, and means arched in excess of the handin the presence of two subscribing witcurvature of the foot with whichthe support nesses. is to be used to support the outer edge of the footand means adjacent the anterior 5 portion of the fourth and fifthmetatarsals to rotate the foot inwardly.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my WILLIAM M. SCHOLL.

In the presence of* STANLEY W. COOK, MARY F. ALLEN;

